Electric motor vehicle



Sept. 1, 1925. 155L594 M. WALTER ELECTRI C MOTOR VEHICLE Filed Oct. 27, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

M mm 7 MM v ATTOR 'YS WITNESSES Sept; 1," I925.

. M. WALTER ELECTRIC uo'roa mucus 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 2'7, 1922 S INE ENTUR.

WITNESSES: I

ATTORN'Ycs Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENTQOF'FICE,

MAURICE WALTER, or nnwvonx, N. Y.

ELECTRIC MOTOR VEHICLE.

'Application filed October 27, 1922. SerialNo. 597,232.

improve the mountingof the batteries and the propelling motor to the end that oertain desirablepractises, generally recognized a but heretofore unobtainable, may be realized. Generally speaking, ina vehicle of this character it is desirable to spring the weight of both the batteries and the propelling motor, mounting them in positions which are accessible for removal or inspection, relieve the frame members of thejchassis of the stresses ordinarily imposed on them, by the weight of the batteries and the motor, and so mount the motor with respectftothe final drive as to permit thestarting torque to be'cushioned. More particularly, in electric motor vehicle practise it will be recognized as desirable to provide a low-chassis and yet maintain relatively great ground clearance, and also-to-mount the motor'in proximity to the controller and the batteries so that the leads may be of the shortest possible length. p

Heretofore, the conditions, enumerated have not been attainedgby reason ofthe natural difficulties offered and the close adherence to practices established in the early days. been mounted on the. frame members of the chassis in the space therebetweenand under the body thus at times subjecting the frame to great stresses from the concentrated'battery load, making the batteries inaccessible and throwing the motor to the rear of the batteries and inclose proximity to the axle without the opportunity for cushioning the starting torque at some point; between the motor and the final drive. i-

lnaccordancewith the present invention it is proposed to change the establishedpractices completely and support the batteries and the motor directly on the vehicle springs and, in turn, support the frame members of the chassis on the supporting frame for the batteries and motor. By this construction For instance, batteries have usually the frame is relieved of the concentrated loads imposed by the batteries and the motor and it becomes possible to insure maximum ground clearance with minimum chassis height/11's is further proposed in the preferred embodiment to mount the batteries in separate banks at opposite sides of the frame members and, preferably, outside of the frame members so asto be wholly exposed forremoval or inspection. The practical advantage of this disposition resides in the fact that the space between the side frame members is left wholly free and the motor may be mounted anywhere within this space which is advantageous tat-es that the motor should be supported betweenthe frame members near the controller on the. drivers seat and some distance from the final drive thereby affording a propeller shaft of substantial length in which may be interposed cushioning devices for the startin torque.

Best practice dic- Reference is now to be had to theaccompanying drawings for a detaildescription f the preferred embodiment in which:

Figure lis a view in plan of a motor vehicle chassis inrwhich the elements are disposed in accordance-with the invention, the front springs and controllerfbeing omitted. I Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the chassis shown in Figure 1 with the front springs and controller indi ated in their relation to the other elements, Y 7

Figure 3 s a fragmentary detail view in plan showing thehsupportingframe for the batteries and motor andthe relation ofthe side frame members of the chassis thereto. Figure 4 is a view in front elevation of the parts shown in Figure 3 the side frame members being shown-in transverse section. a

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view of one ofthe teries. a

L Whileit will be understood as the description proceeds that the invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to the preciserelation of parts shown herein since some of the supporting brackets for the batvadvantages of the invention may be realized -111 a construction in which the parts occupy different relations it is believed, in practies, that the constructionshown in Figure 1 will be found thoroughly efficient and most desirable. As indicated,the rear axleZ and front axle Zf have supported thereon, re-

spectively, springs sand f, which may be of any usual character. The proximate ends of these s'prings s, f,.-are pivoted as at -'=s,.'f, respectively, to brackets 1', 71, carried with the transverse frame members 6 b. Springs 8 Will, in ordinary p p,etiee,;be,pivoted direct to the bracket 0" W ile the rear ends of the front springs f mayfhepivoted in the usual manner through shackles 9. On the transverse frame members -b'-, 6 are supported the side frame members a, a, of the ehassis frame. In the preferred ,con- "structio'n, eorner gusset's c, 0 will be sec ured to thetran'sverse frame members '6, '6 at pdirit'soutside' (if "the side frame memhers "a, 'a ,-r e'specti'vel'y, these corner guss'ets b'eing flangedias shown'elearly in Figure-3 to support removably battery trays d, d on whichma-y be earried'the battery '6, 6 The trays fl, Ii 1Z and the several batteries e, supported thereon maybe removed separately and are, at all times, conveniently accessible.

The disposition of thebatteries leaves 'a space between "the side frame members a, a Wholly free for mounting of the propelling motor m at 'any point which is deemed most "desirable taking into account mechanical considerations and clearance. "As shown, the motor on is supported by means of a .fs tr'a'p 'nb'n tlie'unClerSide of the front Cross-frame member 6, the latter being bowed, if desired, to increase ground clearance and insure -substantial horizontality the propeller shaft 0 The motor m by the improved mounting is directly suspended on the frame member 6' on the front springs 7 between which the member extends. the propellershaft 0 between "the motor m and'therear'axle Zmaiy be inte'rposed ene'er "more flexible joints -0, 0

affording some cushioning of the starting torque. This desirable conditlon has not been obtainable in any effective degree here- 'tofore by reason of the 'fact that the Jr'notor 772, has heretofore been mounted so close to the reara xlefl asto afford insufficient space for the interpositionof sueh cushioning de- VI'CGS.

As indicated Figures 1 and 2 thecontrollier p fer the jmotor may be, carried in proximit to {the motor m,as by the drivers seats which 'is'tlis'po'sed inthe usual relation to the steering wheel ,g. Very short leads may extend from the controller p to the motor on and'to the batteries 6, 6 since all of the parts are disposed in relative proximity.

The advantages aiforded'by the construction have been indicated "hereinbe'fore and are m'ade elear by "the specific embodiment described by Way of example. Theehassis is relatively low and the frame members relatively light sincein'th'e construction they do not supportthe battery'and motor units. The ground clearance is great isince'the "batteries neednot be hung fromthe side frame members. The torque effort'of the motor is uniform and eflicient for the purpose intended'by'r-eason of the relation of the motor to the final drive. All of the parts are '.sp1ung"directly on the vehicle springs and the frame is relieved of concentrated loads.

Rearrangement of the elements may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention and one'or more of the structuralfeaturesthereof may be embodied in a vehicle Without the others.

What ?I claim is:

--l. "Inanelectri'c 'motor vehicle in combin tion 'with the vehicle springs, transverse frame mem'bers'c arried thereby, motor and battery uni-ts carriedr'directly by said transverse framemembers and "longitudinal chassis frame members supported' by said transr' e'rs'e members.

2. fhcombinationwith thefront and rear springs er a motor -vehiele 5 transverse frame finember's *secured respectively to the rear endis ofthe.f-rontsprings and the front ends bf thf'e rearspringgand batteries supportd at their ends by said frame members "alongside of the side frame members of the eh-assis.

"8. In an electric motor vehicle in combi- "nation with the front springs and rear springs transverse frame members secured res eetivel to "the rear ends of the front springs and the front ends of the rear springs, batteries supported by said members outside of theside frame members of the chassis fanda 'rOpelling motor supported by one df said transverse members.

'41 In an electric motor {vehicle in combi netien ivitha eo'ntroller, batteries and a motor, means to support the batteries alongside of and "WllOllY Without the side frame members and means to support the motor in between the side frame members'between the batteries, said batteries, controller and "motor being in pr'oximity for electricalconneetion- I '5. In an eleetricmotor vehicle-in combination with the springs transverse frame -mem'bers extending between the proximate ends thereof, respectively, longitudinal side frame "members of the vehicle supported on said tr ansyerse members, batteries supported on the'trans'verse member's'outside of the "longitudinal {frame members, a'motor supported on} one of said transverse frame mem- 'bers between the longitudinal members, a shaft "oper'atively connecting the unotor and the final drive and cushion device's inter- 'posedin said'shaft to cushion the starting torque.

This specification signed this 25 day 'of October, A. D. "1 922.

MAURICE RVALTER. 

